The most common equipment used in the warehouse is a forklift. These powerful industrial trucks are used to lift the heavy load with caution. Although they are powerful, at the same time there is also a risk involved in operating. Thus, while you are looking for forklift hire in Melbourne, make sure that the drivers and the person who is managing the forklift know the safety tips.
By brushing up on the forklift training, you and your team can rest easy by knowing that everyone’s safety is intact on the worksite. Here are some safety tips for operating forklifts successfully.
Appropriate clothing
The workers should wear proper safety work wear which includes fitted dress, hard hat, safety shoes with hi-visibility jackets. Moreover, don’t operate the equipment if oil or grease like liquid is on your hand, as it may cause them to slide off resulting in an accident.
Examine the forklifts
Before you shift your goods, first check the forklifts. Make sure you avoid the equipment which needs the repair and maintenance service. Moreover, it should get repaired by the respective qualified experts.
Don’t leave it unattended
Never leave your forklift unattended for operating. Leaving the keys in an unattended forklift is also illegal and has a dire consequence as a safety hazard. Even without the actual occurrence of an accident.
Loads are secure and stable
When you place the load on the loading dock, ensure that you check its stability for balancing. Travel with the load as low as possible to increase the stability of the equipment, especially when navigating on-ramps. To secure the heavy stacks use ropes or bindings if necessary. Also, ensure that any pallets or skids used are of apt weight for the load.
Maintain capacity
Ensure that you’re aware of the capacity of your forklifts and its attachments. Because overloading can cause the rear wheels to rise off the ground and the whole machine falls over. Thus, avoid hauling weight that exceeds the counterweight of the forklift. It can cause injury to personnel and damage to the equipment and materials.
Don’t carry extra people
Avoid allowing other workers to ride on a forklift with you unless a second seat is fitted into it. Moreover, don’t use the forklift to lift people, as they are designed to carry loads and not people. If you still need to lift a person you can add a secure work platform or a cage.
Implement the floor marking system
With the help of floor marking system, you can increase your worker’s safety. You can use the yellow color mark for physical hazards such as prone areas or stumbling, and red color for fire hazards, fire equipment and emergency switches. Moreover, place way finders and signs throughout your workplace to keep pedestrians away from the forklift paths. These paths will lead to forklifts along safe routes and improve the overall flow of the traffic.
Maintain the 360-degree visibility
If the load restricts your visibility, operate the equipment in reverse. And always ensure that you have a good view of the rack when you’re positioning the load. Thus, keep forks low to the ground to provide clear forward visibility. Additional best practices are:
- Make eye contact with workers and other pedestrians
- Look in the travel direction.
- Boost visibility by using rear-view mirrors.
- Make use of headlights where you work, outdoor or in areas when needed.
Inspect daily
You should have a habit of checking the forklifts thoroughly before every use. With daily checks, you can identify and log any problem or defect. Moreover, you can easily find any equipment that requires repair or maintenance. Some of the daily recommended checks include:
- Operating controls like lights, steering wheel, horn and brakes.
- Look for potential hazards
- Make sure that the forks are in good condition like no cracks or distortion.
- Ensure that your check the oil, water and radiator tank leaks.
- Examine things like tyres, fluid level, engine, fuel, and coolant.
Park the forklift
At the end of the day, make sure your drivers or operators park the forklift in the designated and authorized areas. For a construction company, park the forklift in such a way that it doesn’t block the pathway or any exit or entrances point. Lower the forks fully until they don’t fit the floor, apply the parking brake, turn off the engine, and remove the key from the ignition.
Conclusion
The operators must be trained and should operate it according to the owner manual. In addition to training, construction companies can ensure personnel safety by providing proper maintenance on forklifts, maintaining a clear and obstacle-free workplace environment, and boosting employee morale through a strong safety culture. Addressing these issues can help prevent forklift accidents and improvement of safe practice in the workplace. Moreover, if you’re looking a new or used forklift for sale, you can contact with the professionals.
